Ste opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but the words wouldn''te. Joshua was no longer as forceful as before. Instead, he humbled himself.


    "Star, did I do something wrong recently? Is that why you don''t want to talk to me?"


    Ste''s eyes flickered. "No, I''ve just been really busy..."


    Joshua''s gaze was piercing, seeing right through her defenses.


    "Star, you''re lying to me."


    Ste fell silent.


    The real reason she hadn''t wanted to see him was because he was just too smart,


    too perceptive. She could hardly keep any secrets from him.


    Joshua ced his hands on her shoulders and looked down at her.


    "Is it because of that Twitter post? If you don''t like it, I''ll delete it right now."


    As he spoke, he took out his phone, ready to delete the post.


    Ste ced her hand over his. "Joshua, it''s not because of that."


    He stopped and looked at her intently.


    "Then what is it?"


    Once again, Ste was silent.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t want to tell him; she just didn''t know how. Was she supposed to ask him if he''d forgotten something and was projecting his feelings for his ex-wife onto her? That she was just a substitute?


    Or ask him what he would do if his memories returned and he realized his ex-wife was the one he truly loved? Was she supposed to smile and wish them well?


    She couldn''t do that. She wasn''t that generous.


    That was why she had been struggling with this for days. She didn''t want to give up easily, but she didn''t want to live as a joke again. She''d had enough of that with Rachel Pearce.


    Seeing her fall silent again, Joshua finally realized that her avoidance was about more than just Neville''s reappearance.


    He gently pulled her into a hug, his tone soft, aplete contrast to the sharp edge he''d had moments before.


    "Star, if there''s something I''m doing wrong, or something you don''t like, you can just tell me. I''ll change."


    A man like Joshua, lowering his pride like this, made Ste''s heart soften instantly.


    After a moment of thought, she finally asked the question.


    "Joshua, did you... have an ex-wife?"


    Joshua was quiet for a second before he realized the source of the problem.


    He didn''t avoid her gaze, but looked down at her.


    "Yes. Her name is Laurel Quinn."


    Hearing this, Ste''s fingers tensed.


    So it really was Laurel Quinn.


    Then Joshua continued, "We used to be partners who had been through life-and-death situations. We got married because it was a necessary move for me to secure my position as head of the Gardner family. She sacrificed her marriage to help me and in return, I helped her secure her position. The reason I never mentioned this to you is because..."


    He paused, his gaze bing incredibly deep.


    "When my headaches were at their worst, I think I was hypnotized. I must have forgotten some things. It''s possible that what I''ve forgotten is rted to Laurel Quinn."


    Ste stared at the sharp lines of his profile, stunned.


    She had considered that he might bepletely unaware of that part of his past. But she never imagined that he was already suspicious of it himself.


    Now that he understood the root of the problem, Joshua''s expression softened, and


    the menacing aura around him dissipated.


    He took Ste''s hand and led her to the sofa.


    "To be honest," he said, "in my mind, Laurel Quinn and I were only ever partners.


    But I can''t be sure what exactly I''ve forgotten."